Thursday, August 29, 2024

Swamped in corn sweat

Corn sweat. Sounds funky, but it's a natural process – and it's making heat worse. It's Thursday's news. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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The Short List

Thu Aug 29 2024

 

Laura L. Davis Audience Editor

@lauradavis

Corn sweat. Sounds funky, but it's a natural process – and it's making heat worse. Kamala Harris is surging ahead of Donald Trump in the polls. And an effort to vaccinate kids in Gaza for polio could bring a pause in fighting.

👋Hey, Thursday! Laura Davis here. Ready to get caught up on the news? It's time.

But first: Curiosity killed the ancient jar. 😬 A 4-year-old boy at a museum accidentally knocked over 3,500-year-old jar, breaking it.

Is corn to blame for all this heat?

It's corn! A big lump with knobs. It has the juice. And in some areas of the Midwest, vast fields of cornstalks are actually making this week's record-setting heat hotter.

What is corn sweat? Officially known as evapotranspiration, "corn sweat" is a natural process where water evaporates from plants and enters the atmosphere, boosting humidity levels in the air. In regions where there are millions of acres of corn and soybean crops, this can make hot summer days even more miserable. It does not involve any actual sweating of the plants – just, you know, everybody and everything else. 🌽  What you should know.

Heat maps: How much will climate change heat up where you live?

210729 Ragbrai Jc 013 Jpg

This cyclist is basically riding through a giant agricultural sauna.

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Exclusive poll: Harris makes gains on Trump 

Fueled by big shifts among some key demographic groups, Democrat Kamala Harris succeeded in doing what President Joe Biden never could do this year: Lead ahead of Republican Donald Trump. Harris' support against Trump is at 48%-43%, a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll found.

By the numbers: The findings reflect an eight-point turnaround from late June when Trump had led Biden in the survey by nearly four points.

Big shifts: Among those with annual incomes of less than $20,000, the biggest change was a three-point Trump edge over Biden in June, which became a 23-point Harris advantage over Trump in August. 👉 See more from the survey.

🗳️ 10 weeks until Election Day, many ways to lose: 'Kamalanomenon' may not last forever. How Harris could still lose the race.

Nl 8 29 24 1

A new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll show Kamala Harris is now leading Donald Trump among likely voters. Can she keep up the momentum?

USA TODAY

Real quick

A hospital chain falters while CEO buys yacht, collects millions.
Can the starter home still deliver the American Dream?
Woman found dead at her office desk, days after clocking in. 
Oh, the humanities: What are the most-regretted college majors?
Skelly's back! Home Depot's giant skeleton is now in stores.

Falcon 9 rockets grounded after fiery mishap

Two crucial crewed SpaceX missions could be in jeopardy after federal regulators grounded the company's Falcon 9 rockets after a landing mishap Thursday.

Uncertain futures: SpaceX has been looking for a viable window to launch four private astronauts into orbit on the already-delayed Polaris Dawn mission. And next month, two NASA astronauts were scheduled to travel to the International Space Station on Crew-9, a mission that would in February also bring home the stranded crew from the Boeing Starliner.

Fiery landing: The Federal Aviation Administration ordered that no Falcon 9 launches can take place until they figure out what happened to a rocket booster from an uncrewed SpaceX mission that tipped over and exploded upon landing at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. 🚀 Here's what we know.

Fix toilets, grow plants: Stuck astronauts have 'constant to-do list.'

SpaceX rocket tips over, FAA grounds

A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday morning. The rocket delivered another batch of Starlink satellites to orbit but tipped over during landing.

Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY/USA TODAY NETWORK

Pause in Gaza for polio vaccines

As the U.N. prepares to vaccinate an estimated 640,000 children in Gaza against polio starting Sunday, the World Health Organization said Thursday it has a preliminary commitment for "area-specific humanitarian pauses" in fighting to allow for the campaign.

Baby paralyzed: The WHO confirmed on Aug. 23 that at least one baby has been paralyzed by the type 2 poliovirus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years.

What to know: The plan calls for a three-day pause in central Gaza, followed by similar pauses first in southern and then northern Gaza, officials said, and a fourth day could be added if needed. 👉 Here's what we know about the situation.

Israel Palestinians Polio

A Palestinian girl is examined by a doctor amid fears over the spread of polio, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Aug. 18.

Ramadan Abed, REUTERS

A break from the news

🍅 Yum: How to make a bite-sized caprese salad.
🚰 Is tap water safe to drink? Don't be overly concerned.
⚓️ Leave your passport at home and take a river cruise.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26, 2024, outside Washington, D.C., to mark the third anniversary of the Islamic State bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members during the evacuation from Afghanistan.

The Army says the professionalism of an Arlington National Cemetery official is being "unfairly attacked" after an incident with Trump staffers.

Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 23, 2016.
 

Founder's arrest roils US extremist groups that rely on Telegram

Inspired by Durov's hands-off approach to moderation, US extremist communities now rely on the platform.

U.S. flag bearers Nicky Nieves and Steve Serio takes part in the Paralympic opening ceremony.
 

'Really edgy' Paralympics TikTok account embraced by athletes

"I love any type of coverage that sparks discussion," U.S. opening ceremony flag bearer Steve Serio says of the Paralympics' TikTok account.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 19: Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber Nelon Thompson, Autumn Nelon Clark, and Jason Clark of The Nelons attend the 52nd GMA Dove Awards at Lipscomb Allen Arena on October 19, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
 

Pilot declared emergency before deadly plane crash involving The Nelons

The pilot flying The Nelons said he lost autopilot and declared an emergency before deadly crash, according to a new NTSB report.

Michael Horowitz, Justice Department inspector general, testifies at a House Oversight Committee hearing on "fraud and waste in federal pandemic spending" on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Feb. 1, 2023.
 

FBI 'didn't appropriately respond' to child sex cases: DOJ report

The Justice Department's inspector general criticized the FBI for handling of child sex abuse cases three years after Larry Nassar case.

Jul 12, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Mike Tyson arrives on the red carpet before the 2023 ESPYS at the Dolby Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
 

Mike Tyson says he uses psychedelics while training. He's not alone.

Mike Tyson's recent comments about using psychedelic mushrooms during training brought to the surface a practice taking place among other pro athletes.

Food meal cuisine nutrition happiness concept. Portrait of handsome man showing baked pastries to wondered glad lover, attractive couple standing in modern white kitchen with interior
 

After 'trad wives' controversy, 'provider women' go viral

A new relationship term has emerged online. Meet the 'provider women.'

Kerry Kennedy meets with a group of Arizona Republicans in Phoenix.
 

Kerry Kennedy says 'endless number of Kennedys' willing to help Harris

Kerry Kennedy said stumping for the Democratic ticket was her way of countering what her brother Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had done: Endorse Donald Trump.

Heather Graham, pictured in June, is opening up about leaving home and a nearly 30-year estrangement from her parents.
 

Heather Graham opens up about 30-year estrangement from parents

Heather Graham is opening up about being estranged from her parents for nearly 30 years due to disapproval over her Hollywood career.

A light pole rests in the street as Newark police investigate after a fatal accident involving a motorcycle near the intersection of Main Street and N. College Avenue, reported just before midnight late Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
 

University of Delaware student killed by motorcyclist fleeing police

Four others were injured after the driverless motorcycle continued down the street.

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